Baker, Newton Diehl (1871-1937)
Newton Diehl Baker, b. 3 December 1871, d. 25 December 1937, was an American lawyer and public official, and Secretary of War during the administration of President Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921. He was born at Martinsburg, West Virginia. His term of office in the War Department extended over the period of World War I. His understanding of the Mennonite and Historic Peace Church position on nonresistance and nonparticipation in war was an important factor in securing proper recognition for conscientious objectors during the war; it may have been due in part to the fact that his wife came from a Church of the Brethren background. It was he who outlined to the official delegation consisting of Aaron Loucks, D. D. Miller, and S. G. Shetler, appointed by the Mennonite Church General Conference, the procedure by which conscientious objector draftees could finally be segregated from the army and assigned to other services. He rendered the Mennonites a notable and highly appreciated service by his considerate attitude.
| Author(s) | S. C Yoder |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1955 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Yoder, S. C. "Baker, Newton Diehl (1871-1937)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1955. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Baker,_Newton_Diehl_(1871-1937)&oldid=90967.
APA style
Yoder, S. C. (1955). Baker, Newton Diehl (1871-1937). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Baker,_Newton_Diehl_(1871-1937)&oldid=90967.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 214. All rights reserved.
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